Calder: Awesome Belle takes Frances Genter, Cash Rules wins close one in Spend a Buck

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Awesome Belle and jockey Fernando Jara edge Frolic's Revenge to win the $75,000 Frances Genter

MIAMI - Saturday’s rich Festival of the Sun program at Calder got off to a chalky start when odds-on favorites Awesome Belle (4-5) and Cash Rules (3-5) won the $75,000 Frances Genter Stakes and $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap, respectively.

Awesome Belle registered her fourth straight victory in the Frances Genter, which was switched from the turf to a “good” main track due to early morning downpours. Awesome Belle stalked the early pace after a sluggish beginning, readily moved to command midway down the backstretch, then withstood a late charge from old friend Frolic’s Revenge.

Frolic’s Revenge, who defeated Awesome Belle earlier this year in the Calder Oaks but has now chased that rival home in their last four meetings, eased off the rail to loom boldly near midstretch but fell a neck shy. Wicked Night finished another 7 1/4 lengths farther back in third.

Awesome Belle, a 3-year-old Awesome of Course homebred owned by Jacks or Better Farm, completed a mile in 1:40.82 under jockey Fernando Jara and paid $3.60.
  
“She’s doing so well right now it doesn’t really matter what surface she runs on,” said winning trainer Stanley Gold. “I didn’t think she needed the lead today like she had in her last two wins, but I was concerned when she didn’t get away good and was wide into the first turn. Luckily she was good enough to overcome it.”

Cash Rules was also fully extended to outlast Ducduc to register his third straight stakes win in the Grade 3 Spend a Buck. The race scratched down to just six starters after Gourmet Dinner was withdrawn early Saturday morning and Csaba came out several hours later to run against 3-year-olds in  the Tropical Park Derby.

Cash Rules sat a perfect trip behind dueling pacesetters Decisive Moment and Two is to Many, who posted a 46.87-second split for the opening half-mile. Cash Rules moved to the lead approaching the quarter pole and quickly edged clear under leading rider Luis Saez while finishing on his left lead. It was another 11 lengths farther back to Flatter This in third.
Cash Rules completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.99 and paid $2.80.